This invention relates to a tie-down rail for the sidewall of a truck bed, and more particularly to a unitary tie-down rail.
Heretofore, tie-down rails of various types have been connected to the tops of the opposite sidewalls of a truck bed, particularly the bed of a pick-up truck, to provide means for securing the opposite ends of tie-downs, such as ropes or cables, stretched transversely over the top of the truck bed, for securing a load within the truck bed. The ends of the tie-down ropes may be tied to the rails. The ends of flexible cables or chains may be attached to hooks which are connected to the rails.
One form of tie-down rail which has been used, consists of an elongated, straight, hollow tubular member supported above and parallel to the top of each sidewall by longitudinally spaced standards or stanchions. Such a tie-down rail incorporates several separate members, that is the elongated tubular member, and the individual standards. Each of the standards must be separately secured to the top of the sidewall, and the tubular member must be secured to the separate standards. Usually, there is considerable space between standards, so that a rope tied around the tubular member, if sufficiently loose, or if it becomes loosened, can slide the lenoth of the section of the tubular member between standards, which might shift the tie-down member to an unsecure position relative to the load carried within the truck bed.
Some truck beds, including pick-up truck beds, include stake holes for receiving upright stakes to increase the effective height of the side walls for securing a load within the truck bed. Ropes, cables or other tie-down members sometimes are tied to the opposed stakes, or even to the stake holes, in order to extend across and retain a load within the truck bed.